ASA Launches 2010 Minimum Comics Freelance Page Rates

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) Committee of Management ratified the new Minimum Comics Freelance Pages Rates at their March 2010 meeting. The need to develop page rates was based on the following considerations:

(1) Australian comics creators have no benchmarks or guidelines similar to picture book illustrators or freelance writers on what to charge for their various activities;

(2) There is a disparity between rates currently being charged by comics creators;

(3) The ASA and the Comics/Graphic Novels portfolio holders were increasingly getting more calls from people working in various organisations, teaching institutions and the private sector, enquiring about commissioning comics work but who have no idea of what rates to pay their freelancers; and

(4) There is a need for more transparency in the community in regard to rates so comics creators have benchmarks for preparing pitches and proposals, can place a monetary value on their talent and deliverables, as well as to educate commissioners on the intricacies and working parts that make up the comics medium.

These minimum page rates can be used as a starting point for contract negotiation and will differ according to the individual comics professional’s reputation, background and publishing history.

There were three research stages involved in the compilation of the recommended rates:

(1) In 2009 the ASA surveyed Australian comics creators to determine average page rates (see http://www.asauthors.org/lib/pdf/zGraphicNovels/GN2009/ASAComicsRatesSurveyReport.pdf

(2) In 2010 the ASA conducted an internet search using the key words “comics page rates” to find any local or overseas material that provided guidelines; and

(3) In 2010 the ASA compared page rates of the following organisations:

· Society of Book Illustrators (SOBI);

· Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA);

· Australian Cartoonists Association (ACA);

· Australian Graphic Designers Association (AGDA);

· Society of Editors (SoE); and

· The Graphic Artists’ Guild (GAG) in the USA.

The rates will be launched at the ASA Professional Development Seminars at Supanova Brisbane this weekend and Supanova Melbourne next weekend. If you would like to obtain a copy then go to the Rates and Conditions page of the ASA website or download them here.